Go Back To The '90s With The Town, Eastern Victoria's Immersive Three-Day Festival

It’s been called “one of Victoria’s best-kept secrets”, now the remote three-day festival The Town returning for another immersive outing this year.

The event – which is held in the small town of Licola, 254km west of Melbourne – isn’t often mentioned in the same breath as the big touring festivals, but given its entirely unique approach to the festival concept, it truly deserves to be.

Now readying its seventh event to take place from November 29th to December 2nd, The Town is a rare beast which takes over the site of the former mining town and for three days, attendees are invited to roleplay the very idea of a small town.

It’s not just simply fostering a sense of community, it’s people coming together to curate immersive event full of characters, themed campsites, and even the likes of a daily newspaper. Though the concept might be strange to some, the focus is largely on ensuring that the atmosphere and the vibe is key, with attendees diving deep into the roleplaying aspect of the event and immersing themselves in the magic it offers.

With the atmosphere at its forefront, unlike most festivals the lineup isn’t the most important aspect. However, given that names such as Tash Sultana have helped the 1,500-strong festival sell out previously, it’s clear they don’t phone it in.

This year, The Town is going back to the ‘90s, focusing on the nostalgic of a pre-tech addicted world. This means cheesy ‘90s music, skaters and goths in full attendance, a rectration of Nirvana’s iconic MTV Unplugged set, a Big Brother house, and an immersive video store with actors acting out the movies selected.

Music-wise, it’s a stacked lineup, featuring appearances from the likes of Tom Thum, Fred Leone, Tom Cosm, Smilk, Versace Boys, Ganga Giri, Charlie Needs Braces, and much more.

Alongside its fesitivities, however, The Town has become a bastion of perseverence. Previously, The Town has had to put up with the likes of bushfires nearby, flooding rivers, the impact of COVID, neighbours attempting to sabotage their event permit, and the necessity of setting up an entire festival in 24 due to a double booking.

The Town is also ensuring positivity and progression in its events as well, with a theatrical ‘auction of one of its onsite cabins raising $1,500 for the Asylum Resource Centre, and 95% of the energy used by the event harnessed from solar power.

The 2024 edition of The Town takes place from November 29th to December 2nd, with tickets (or ‘land’) on sale now.